The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that the United States violated international law and should "review and reconsider" the cases of 51 Mexicans on death row.

"The United States of America shall provide, by means of its own choosing, review and reconsideration of the conviction and sentence," presiding judge Shi Jiuyong of China said Wednesday in a summary of the judgment.

Mexico filed its complaint against Washington at the ICJ, the United Nations' highest judiciary organ, in January last year.

It accuses the United States of violating the 1963 Vienna Convention by not informing foreign prisoners that they are entitled to consular assistance or legal help from their government.

That leaves foreign prisoners, who do not always speak or understand English, at a disadvantage when they are put on trial, Mexico has argued.

Last year Mexico asked the court to order the United States to suspend the executions of 52 Mexican prisoners on death row.

In February 2003 the court ordered a temporary stay of execution for three of the Mexicans, whose executions were imminent. It did not order a similar stay for the others because it said there was no immediate danger of their being put to death.

On Wednesday the court ruled that the United States had violated the rights of Mexican prisoners in 51 cases and ordered Washington to review those cases.

Mexico's claim for another one of its citizens on death row was rejected because he waived his right to consular assistance.

In a first reaction the US ambassador to the Netherlands Clifford Sobel, who was present at the hearing, said the full text of the judgment. first had to be studied by the appropriate authorities in the United States before they would comment in depth.

"We are pleased that a number of Mexico's objections were rejected and pleased with the favorable reaction of the court to our compliance program (to inform foreign prisoners of their right to consular assistance)," he said.

Mexico will give a press conference later Wednesday to comment on the judgment.

Mexico had asked the court to order that all 52 convictions be annulled but the court rejected that claim.

The ICJ or World Court, was established to rule in disputes between states. Its decisions are final and without appeal although the court has no means of enforcing them.

In a similar case brought before the court by Germany against the United States, the court ordered a stay of execution for German national Walter Lagrand on March 3, 1999. Despite the order, Lagrand was put to death the same day.

Copyright © 2004 AFP

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